Monday, April 11, 2011

Hello Real World. Let's make some time for running.

My, oh, my…how things have changed since I last sat down to blog about my running life. The Sunday-Funday run seems a distant and happy memory. You’re probably wondering, why? Well, I have suddenly joined the “real world” and no longer have three-hour breaks in the middle of my school day, followed by the chance to go home by 3:30 p.m. and take a break before having to ‘squeeze’ a run in.

Nope, now ‘squeezing’ a run in really does hold up to its name. Now, it’s after 8.5 hours of work. And I’m just going to be honest – I’m tired! I promised not to complain anymore – I know, I did. But seriously, I chose the wrong season to be training for an upcoming half. I’m struggling.

Tonight was absolutely gorgeous out. And yes, I did manage to get a solid 45-minute run in. But let’s be honest, 45 minutes is a long ways away from 1 hour and 58 minutes.

Mixed with a one 30-minute tempo run and one 45-minute hill run each week. One day of cross training. Two days of rest.

I’m determined to make it through this half, even though my focus is elsewhere in my life at the moment. I stumbled across a running quote that read: "Once you're beat mentally, you might was well not even go to the starting line." I know this is true – running is just as much a mental sport as it is physical. So enough is enough from me; student-life has come to an end and years of balancing work and well, life, has begun. I guess this training isn’t at such a bad time after all.

run, britt, run.

As a runner for five of my 22 years, currently, I am training for my 3rd half-marathon. With the pressures of completing my school program, a Graduate Certificate program in Public Relations, and beginning my career in the PR industry also on my plate, running is an outlet. I’m slightly fitness-obsessed, but more importantly, once I’ve committed to a goal, I’m positively driven until it is fully reached.